Trustees have approved a 3.6 percent salary merit-increase pool for eligible faculty and staff for 2007.

Of that pool, 3 percent will be for merit-based raises at the department level, and 0.6 percent is reserved for executive level raises for employees who demonstrate “truly extraordinary contributions” to the University’s mission, says Human Resources Director Richard Gartrell.

“Managers will be required to stay within their pool, but they have the discretion to allocate based on performance,” says Gartrell, explaining that individual increases could be more or less than the 3 percent average.

The merit recommendation goes into effect Jan. 1, 2007.

The merit pool is based on the University’s financial outlook and data from Colorado members of the Mountain States Employer’s Council, which projected an average 3.6 percent salary increase in the region.